Corn-sheller



(No Model.)

G. H. PATTISON. 001w SHBLLER;

- No. 275,259. Patented Apr. 3, 1883.

INVENTOR Mafia ATTORNEY n, rams PhOl0-U\Mgnphr. Washington. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. PATTISON, Oi FHEEPORT, ILLINOIS.

CORN-SHELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,259, dated April 3, 1883.

Application tiled December 30, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. PATTISON, a resident of Freeport, in the county ofStephenson and State 0f1llinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Shellers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in corn-shellers, and is fully described and explained in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sheller, the side of the box being removed to show the internal arrangement of the parts; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same, the end being removed; and Fig. 3, ahorizontal section through line at n, Fig. 1, showing relative positions of picker-wheel, feed-wheel, and presser-bar.

In these drawings, A is a fiat picker-wheel, whose shaft It extends through the box from side to side and is journa-led in suitable bearings. On one end of the shaft it, outside the box, is mounted a balance-wheel, O, and near the other end of said shaft, and within the box, is mounted a pinion, E.

B is the feed-wheel, mounted on a shaft,f, whose central line is within the circumference of the picker-wheel. This feed-wheel may have its beveled surface corrugated or set with points, as shown in the drawings. The shaft fis supported at one end in suitable bearings in the side of the box and at the other end in a bearing in the hanger K. On this shaft, in the same plane with the pinion E, is mounted a pinion, D. A geared drive-wheel, G, mounted on a short shaft, h, meshes with the pinions D E, and the rotation ofthis drive-wheel in one direction rotates the feed-w heel and picker-wheel in the opposite direction. The shaft h of the drive-wheel isjournaled at one end in a bearing in the side of the box and at the other end in a bearing in the hanger L. The shaft 71 is provided with a crank whereby power may be applied to the machine. By applying the power to the intermediate drive-wheel, G, the operator is enabled to stand in a natural position for feeding the sheller with the left hand,

(Yo model.)

and at the same time to turn the crank forward with the right hand, whereas, if the power he applied directly to either the feedwheel or picker-whecl,the crank must be turned bacluvard, or toward the operator; and by so arranging the gearing that the rotation of the drive-wheel in one direction rotates the teeth wheel and picker-wheel in the opposite direction the feed is necessarily on that side of the picker-wheel shaft nearest the operator. This is evident from the fact that the downward motion of the teeth of the picker-wheel is in the semicircle nearest the operator, while the upward motion is in the opposite segment. The consequence of this position of the feed is that the ear corn is fed in at the most convenient point, and the cobs are carried by the rotation of the teeth of the picker-wheel first downward, then in a horizontal direction, and are finally thrown away from the sheller on the side opposite the operator. Below the center of the picker-wheel is a fan, P, within a fan-case, R, and mounted on a shaft, Z. On this shaft 1 is mounted a pinion, F, which meshes with the drive-wheel G. A spout,'Q, opposite the opening of the fan-case,passes out through the end of the box, and serves for the escape of dust. A feed-spout, a, is secured in the top of thebox nearthe front end, and passes down just in front of the feed-wheel, and a presser-bar, O, in the front wall of the feedspont presses the ears of corn into thejangle between the beveled face of the feed-wheel and the surface of the picker-wheel. The relative positions of the feed-wheel, picker-wheel, and presser-bar are shown in Fig. 3. Between the presser-bar and the inner surface of the feed-spout is a spring, 6, which presses the bar into the angle between the feed-wheel and picker-wheel. A spout, S, (shown by the dotted lines,) has a perforated bottom, through which the shelled corn drops, but retains the cobs, which pass out through the spout, at the rear of the machine.

The operation of the sheller is as follows: Motion being communicated to the drive-wheel G by means of the crank, the gear-wheels 1) E F are set in motion, and the feed-wheel, picker-wheel, and fan are all rotated in the same direction. Ear corn, being fedin through the feed-spout, passes down between the presser-bar, the feed-wheel, and the picker-wheel. The position of the feed-wheel and pickerwheel and their relative motions are such that the pressure of the picker-wheel against the ear corn tends to carry it away from the feedwheel and prevents any possibility of the ears binding between the two surfaces, and by bringing the center of the feed-wheel within the circumference of the picker-wheelthe corn is delivered to the two wheels at such an angle thatthe picker-wheel exerts a combined endwise and rotary force on the ears. The position shown is, I believe as favorable as any to rapid and perfect shelling; but by moving the center of the feed-wheel in either direction, keeping it at the same distance from the center of the picker-wheel, the endwise force exerted on the ears may be increased or decreased, and at the same time the rotary force decreased or increased. As the corn is shelled it falls into the spout S, the grain passing through the perforated bottom and the cobs passing out. As the grain falls it is cleaned by the blast from the fan P.

I am aware that a corn-sheller is already in use in which power is applied to a drive-wheel so connected with the feed-wheel and pickerwheel that the rotation of the three wheels is in the same direction, and I do not therefore claim, in general terms, the combination of a feed-wheel, a picker-wheel, and an intermediate drive-wheel to which power is applied for the rotation of said feed-wheel and pickerwheel; but,

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a corn-sheller, the combination of a picker-wheel, a feed-wheel whose center is within the circumference of the picker-wheel, and suitable means whereby said feed-wheel and picker-wheel may be rotated in the same direction.

2. In a corn-sheller, the combination of a feed-wheel, a picker-wheel, an intermediate drive-wheel to which power is applied, and gearing connecting the drive wheel with the feed-wheel and picker-wheel, whereby the rotation of the drive-wheel in one direction rotates the feed-Wheel and picker-wheel in the opposite direction, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In a corn-sheller, the combination of a picker-wheel, a feed-wheel whose center is within the circumference of the picker-wheel, and an intermediate drive-wheel to which the power is applied, said drive-wl1eel being con nected with the feed-wheel and picker-wheel and adapted to rotate them in the same direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

GEORGE H. PATTISON.

\Vitnesses:

J. A. SIIUTZ, A. W. GREENE. 

